Is Giannis to Minnesota a real option?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have shown interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo dating back to last season when they were reportedly looking to acquire the Milwaukee superstar ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
A deal never materialized and the Bucks held on to their franchise player for the time being.
Milwaukee failed to make the playoffs, and Giannis and the front office seem to be on different pages, leading to more reports that he will definitely be traded this offseason.
The Timberwolves have even more interest in getting a deal done after they lost in the second round of the NBA playoffs to the San Antonio Spurs in six games. The Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have proven to be the class of the West in the past two seasons, and it looks like it'll be that way for years to come, putting pressure on a team like Minnesota to try and remain competitive.
Can The Timberwolves Get Giannis?
On the Wilder Wolves podcast, ESPN's Bobby Marks explained that the Timberwolves would want to send out more money than they get back in a Giannis trade in order to keep enough flexibility to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu, who will be an unrestricted free agent.
He also wondered what the roster would look like after the trade, should they give up two of Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle in the deal.
A Realistic Look
Sending out Gobert and Randle for Giannis immediately works for salary cap structure and saves the Timberwolves $11 million as they make a combined $69 million while Giannis makes $58 million.
The financial aspect of a Giannis to Minnesota deal is a bit overblown due to the contracts of Randle and Gobert. They are heavy contracts, and moving both of them in any deal will give the Timberwolves relief.
The problem isn't the money, it's the compensation. The Bucks have no reason to take back both Gobert and Randle, two players who have little value on a team that won't be competitive, unless Minnesota is willing to give up their entire draft future.
Minnesota doesn't want to part with Jaden McDaniels, who is the most valuable non-Edwards asset they have. Reid could be in play, but he's not a young, budding star that Milwaukee should be looking for in any deal involving Giannis.
Minnesota can make an offer, but other teams have more valuable assets that the Bucks will likely desire, meaning Giannis to Minnesota will likely hinge on his desire to be there and Milwaukee honoring his request.
